The present invention relates to a utility tool in general, and more particularly to a scraping tool for removing adhering contaminants from, for instance, window panes, floors, walls and the like.
There is already known a wide variety of different utility tools, such as scrapers, trimmers, cutters, utility knives, and the like. Usually, such tools include a respective tool element and a handle element. In some instances, the tool element is mounted on the handle element for movement relative thereto. It is also already known to construct the tool element in two parts, namely a tool holder, and the tool proper, such as a blade or the like.
In many instances, these tools are to be used by a user who stands on a ladder. Thus, there exists the need to develop a utility tool which can be handled and adjusted by the user while using only one hand for such use or adjustment. This is also valid for such tools, which are much in demand nowadays, in which the tool element is retractable into the interior of the handle element, so as to hide a cutting or other working edge of the tool element and thus protect the user of the utility tool from possible injury. Even the adjustment of the position of the cutting element relative to the handle element should be accomplished in one-hand operation.
There is already known a scraping tool which satisfies the above-outlined requirements. This utility tool is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,291,514 in which a blade is supported on a blade mount. The blade mount with the blade are mounted in a flat handle housing for displacement longitudinally thereof. In one end position thereof, the blade mount with the blade are in their extended working position, while the blade is located in the interior of the handle housing in the other end position. The adjustment of the position of the blade mount-blade assembly relative to the handle housing is accomplished by means of an outwardly projecting bulge.
However, this mount arrangement has an important drawback in that the manufacturing and assembling costs are relatively high. In addition thereto, it is very difficult to remove impurities which may have clogged the mouth through which the tool is to extend to the exterior of the handle housing or which may have penetrated into the interior of the housing. A further disadvantage thereof is that it cannot be mounted on a telescopic extension rod, which is sometimes necessary in order to be able to perform large-area scraping or similar operations.